With the cost of city one-bedroom apartments in the United States averaging an astounding $1,234.43 per month, and only 678.32 square feet, many millennials are choosing to go tiny.
With the up rise of Marie Kondo’s Netflix series, and minimalist modern design, it’s no surprise that living in a smaller space is actually becoming a very trendy thing to do. But you may be asking yourself ‘how am I ever going to downsize enough to move in?’
What is a tiny living?
Technically and logistically speaking it is a movement that urges people to live in a home that is under 400 square feet. Yet, it’s so much more. It’s a home of many meanings for many people. For some it’s freedom from the rent trap, for others it is taking minimalism a step further.
What is minimalism, and how does it relate to tiny living?
If you look up the term minimalism you will find something like “in visual arts, music, and other mediums, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s.” However, for many people it extends beyond something of aesthetics and moves more into way of living your life.
According the author Joshua Becker, “At its core, minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it. It is a life that forces intentionality. And as a result, it forces improvements in almost all aspects of your life.”
When preparing for your move into a tiny house or tiny apartment, embracing Joshua Becker’s ideology is actually a necessity. You can’t live in less than 400 square feet and not intentionally pick and choose what you want to bring into your next life.
For many people this is why they choose tiny living in the first place. People want to live with only the things that they find important and that contribute to their happiness. However, sometimes taking the step to downsizing can actually be way more dramatic and stressful than it needs to be.
How do I downsize my possessions?
When people hear the term minimalism, some people tend to freak out. We encourage you to not do anything rash, but to go through your possessions with intention. Here is our most practical suggestion to preparing yourself for tiny living.
Packing your things in boxes
For many people this can seem like a no-brainer. Of course you say, but actually there is a theory behind this. Pack all your belongings in boxes, and only pull out the essentials as you need them. For this technique you may want to have access to a storage unit or a friend with a garage. Give yourself six months. If there are things still sitting in boxes that you don’t use every-day, send them on their way.
This is probably the most practical suggestion that anyone wanting to move into a smaller space can try, because it doesn’t require you to make a massive change right away. While the Marie Kondo’s technique can be life changing, it also is a huge cleanse that many people can’t commit to.
If you try the unboxing technique it will actually show you what you need day in and day out. You need that pot to cook your rice. You need your pillow and bed sheets. You have some downtime you grab a book. Many people find that they live this way in the first few months of moving anyway. It is the perfect strategy for anyone trying to go into tiny living or moving into a smaller home.
